


Happy Birthday

by nanuk_dain



Series: Drift Compatible [41]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: M/M, PBC (Post-Breach-Collapse), Shatterdome fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-08 20:22:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11089221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanuk_dain/pseuds/nanuk_dain
Summary: Newt decides to celebrate his 35th birthday in style. Nothing to raise spirits like a good party.





	Happy Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> Again a long time has passed... Life's way too busy for my taste -_-V But no worries, this series has not been abandoned and I will continue writing it. I actually have about 9.000 words of multiple fics for this series lying around on my hard drive waiting to be finished. I'll get there one day :D 
> 
> I hope you like the newest part! Let me know? *puppy dog eyes*

_Hong Kong Shatterdome, January 19th 2025_

 

"Did you have to do that, Newton?" Hermann growls as soon as the heavy doors to the lab close behind Naomi Sokolov.

"Do what?" Newt turns around in confusion. He's already thinking about the idea he just had during the interview. Maybe it would be good to-

"Invite that journalist to your birthday party." Hermann's peeved voice interrupts his train of thought. Newton can actually feel his irritation over the ghost drift. Herm's really annoyed, then.

Newt looks at the door said journalist just disappeared through and shrugs. "She's nice. Why not invite her?"

"She's a _journalist_ , Newton." Even if Newton wasn't seeing the raised eyebrow right now, he would have been able to hear it in Hermann's voice. Loud and clear.

"So?" He just shrugs. Honestly, he doesn't give a damn what Naomi does for work. He likes her, she's witty and funny and seems genuinely nice. And he had a great time during that interview, so why should he be bothered that she's a reporter?

"Do you really want to read in the newspaper about all the things you do during your birthday party?" Hermann aims for provocative, but Newton can tell that he's actually uneasy. Being a fundamentally private person, Herm doesn't like journalists. Newt is well aware of that, but that doesn't mean that he has to share that attitude.

"It's a private invitation. Naomi is there as my guest, not as a reporter." He explains, not that he should have to. It's obvious, really.

"Sometimes I'm amazed at how naive you are." Hermann huffs out, his voice still filled with irritation.

"I'm not naive, Hermann, I just have a good sense for people." 

Hermann has the nerve to snort. "About as good as mine."

"You don't have one." Newt points out immediately.

"Exactly." Hermann sounds smug. "But I _do_ know who not to trust. Journalists, for example."

"Oh come one, Herm, cut her some slack. She was really nice." Newton throws a chiding gaze over his shoulder and walks over to his side of the lab. 

Hermann follows him, still peeved. "It's _her job_ to make people trust her so that they spill all their secrets, Newton. Of course she was nice."

Newt stops and turns around to face Hermann, a huge grin on is face. "You mean secrets like you puking in that-"

"Yes, like that! Why did you have to tell her that!?" Hermann is blushing with embarrassment and Newton finds it utterly adorable. This is why he loves teasing and bickering with Hermann so much. The guy is too cute for his own good. Not that he knows it.

"Because it was just too funny." Newt replies, the shit-eating grin still in place.

"It was _not_ funny!" The sincere indignation is radiating off him in waves. His chest is puffed out, his face is set in a deep frown and his eyes bear into Newton as if he's trying to melt his head off.

Adorable.

"That depends on your point of view. Since I wasn't the one bent over that toilet, it was actually pretty funny." Newt chuckles at the memory.

"You are impossible, Newton!" Hermann is not quite shouting, but he's obviously agitated. "It's was a horrible experience, that drift! Don't pretend you weren't sickened by the intensity of the Kaiju hive mind! You were-" 

"Do you know how hot you are when you're angry?" Newt keeps his voice low and lets his eyes travel all over Hermann, from his face to his feet and back. He makes sure to actively send his appreciation over their ghost drift because he wants to throw Hermann off kilter. And maybe get him to press Newt against the wall again, because damn, it's hot when Herm gets all bossy and physically takes control. Especially because Newton knows he's the only person to get Hermann to do that. It feels like a mark of distinction.

His remark seems to take the wind out of Hermann's sails. He opens his mouth, once, twice, obviously wanting to reply something, but unable to find the words. The flush on his cheeks is even deeper and he looks flustered, which tells Newt loud and clear that he got the mental message, too. Sasha really is the best teacher ever. Newt thinks he should thank her in some way for showing him how to send pictures and feelings over the ghost drift in a way that they have the most impact on the receiver. He never knew there were varying degrees of transmission strength, if you want to call it that. Sasha knows _all_ about it.

Aleksis too, judging by his reaction when Sasha demonstrated what she was talking about. It was during lunch in the mess hall and Aleksis was standing at the serving counter about to get food when he suddenly froze. He turned to throw her a gaze that was most definitely a challenge, but he carefully hid his groin behind his long jacket when he crossed the mess hall to return to the table. Newt's sure he didn't imagine the slight blush hidden mostly by his beard, and he was kind of glad that he wasn't in Aleksis's shoes at that moment. He really doesn't want to know what images Sasha sent him. He guesses they were pretty naughty - it takes _a lot_ to get Aleksis to blush.

And since Newton learned from the best, he knows what he's doing. So he opens his mind to the connection he shares with Hermann and pours all of his arousal into it, combined with an image or two of what he wants to do with Hermann. It involves Hermann's desk and a lot less clothes.

It works nicely. Hermann gasps and then actually shivers, although he tries to stifle it quickly. Newton sees it anyway and can't quite keep the smug smile off his face. Who would have thought that Herm would be so responsive to Newt's little mental stimulation? It's kind of an ego boost, if he's entirely honest with himself.

He takes a step closer and lets his hands touch Hermann's, only to slide them up his arm in a slow caress. He figures adding some physical stimulation to the mental one might make Herm lose it enough to slam Newt against the wall, or desk, or whatever is closest, he's not picky. Newton discovered just recently that he has a thing for Herm losing control and going all caveman on him - well, a very polite caveman, but still. Newt loves feeling the strength that's well hidden behind Hermann's perfectly groomed exterior, and he loves it even more when it's focussed on _him_. All right, so he might have a kink or two he didn't know about before. He calls them his Hermann-kinks.

"Newton..." Herm's voice it deliciously hoarse and he's breathing hard, a lovely combination in Newt's opinion, and a dead giveaway that he's doing it right. So Newt lets his fingers trail over Hermann's shoulders and then up his neck, only to slip under the collar of his shirt. Hermann's growing arousal is transmitting clearly over the ghost drift and Newt absorbs it like a sponge. It fires his own desire to know that he can do that to Hermann, that Herm _wants_ him. It's an addictive feeling - maybe that's part of the reason why Newt keeps teasing Herm. He's not above admitting that it turns him on that Herm's into him. Come on, he's had a crush on the guy for _years_ , so knowing - not only that, but also _feeling_ \- that it's returned is like a dream come true.

Hermann shivers underneath his fingers, not just a slight shiver but a full blown shudder coursing through his entire body. It gives Newt a warning the fraction of a second before Hermann snaps. Since Hermann isn't partial to violent outbursts, him snapping doesn't mean that Newt gets manhandled - and he really wouldn't mind experiencing _that_ -, instead Hermann's free hand comes up and wraps around Newton's neck, pulling him in with much less finesse than he'd normally have. Hermann leans down just enough to capture Newt's lips in an open-mouthed kiss that's not hesitant in the least. It's demanding and fierce and oh so hot.

Now _that's_ Hermann snapping - forgetting his politeness, his reserve, his caution. Going for what he wants, no questions asked, no hesitation, no shame. Gosh, Newt is so in love with that guy. He feels a wave of aroused astonishment answering from Hermann's side of the link, and he can't help smiling at it. How Herm can still be surprised that Newt is in love with him is beyond him, but it's oddly adorable.

To drive his point home, Newt leans in even further, deepens the kiss and melts his body against Hermann's from head to toe. He makes sure to slowly but firmly rub his growing erection against Herm's, a slow, teasing friction that he knows will drive Hermann crazy. Herm gasps into their kiss, an obviously involuntary reaction that he can't hold back. Newt gets hit by a wave of arousal over their ghost drift and can't help a satisfied - okay, smug - chuckle. 

"Newton." Hermann growls - honest to god _growls_ , Newt is so proud of himself - and his hands clench into fists in Newt's hair, pulling on the strands in a way that has him groaning. He's always loved getting his hair pulled on during sex, and Herman doing it makes him feel so good that he could-

Suddenly there's a pointed cough behind them, followed by Sasha's amused voice. "I don't want to disturb you, but it's time to go to town."

Hermann flinches and tries to bring some distance between himself and Newt. He's embarrassed to be caught in a situation like this, especially considering that they're at work. Newt doesn't mind so much and lazily readjusts his shirt that Hermann had just pulled out of his pants.

Sasha is only halfway bothering to suppress the teasing smirk and there's a knowing look in her eyes. She looks them up and down, obviously taking in the dishevelled state of their clothes, the tousled hair, the flushed faces, the carefully averted groins, Hermann's cane that's randomly lying around on the ground. Oh, there are more clues than Newt can even count. Not that she actually needs them. She knows anyway. 

He throws Sasha a grin and a mouths 'thanks' at her over Hermann's shoulder. Her smirk deepens and she gives him a quick nod in acknowledgement. Oh yes, she knows exactly what was going on here before she came in. And she knows her lessons paid off.

Yep, Newton definitely needs to find a way to thank her.

"I'll meet you in the motor pool, Newt. Ten minutes." She says with a raised eyebrow before disappearing in the hallway without waiting for a reply. She's kind enough not to enjoy the moment any more than she already has. 

Hermann is still trying to regain his composure. He's flushed with embarrassment and his movements are clipped. Newton finds it utterly adorable, but he knows better than to tease him now. Instead he sends reassurance and a feeling of warmth and caring over their connection and makes sure to not let this smirk show when he turns to face a flustered Hermann. He won't take Newt's amusement too well right now.

"She knew anyway." Newt remarks after a moment of quietly watching Hermann fiddle with his clothes.

"That is not the point. Of course she knows." Hermann's voice is back to peeved, but there's real embarrassment transmitting over the ghost drift. "The point is that we are at work. This was highly unprofessional and unbecoming of us. I should never have allowed it to get so out of hand! I have more control than that!" 

Newt bends down to retrieve the cane before Herman can even think about doing it. Newt knows that getting down to pick something up from the ground is difficult for Hermann, not that the stubborn idiot would ever admit to it or ask for help. Newt has long since made it his goal in life to be at least one step ahead of him so that Herm doesn't have to do it.

He holds out the cane, handle turned towards Hermann so that he can take it easily. Herm suspiciously eyes first the cane and then Newton before he accepts it. 

"I love that I can make you lose control like that." Newton says quietly, holding Hermann's gaze. For once he's not teasing. "It means a lot."

Hermann stares at him for a moment, then he clears his throat and averts his gaze. There's a whirlwind of emotion raging inside him and he's clearly uncomfortable with them. He seems to not have the words to reply, but Newt doesn't need words anyway. That's the beauty of the ghost drift. He can just _feel_ it, and it's reassuring.

"And I love you getting all bossy and manhandling me." Newton adds with a grin and wriggles his eyebrows suggestively. At the same time he sends his memory of their rudely interrupted make-out session over the ghost drift to make Hermann _feel_ how much he really enjoyed it.

"Newton! Don't start it again! Haven't you learned anything?" Hermann sounds pissed, but Newton spots the renewed blush to his cheeks and the carefully suppressed excitement that flickers over their connection.

He grins and makes to leave the lab. He's so proud for undermining Herm's rigid work place ethics. "I'll be back in an hour or two." 

"Take as long as you need. I have _actual_ work to do." Hermann says with such a snobby intonation that Newt can't help snorting. That man is just too cute.

Newton makes his way over to the motor pool where Sasha is already waiting beside one of the rundown jeeps the PPDC grants the Rangers access to when required. Usually they need a good reason to loan a vehicle - and Newt is pretty sure 'getting supplies for a private party' doesn't fulfil the criteria - but Sasha never has issues acquiring anything from a plane to a jeep. He has no idea how she does it.

Sasha greets him with a raised eyebrow and a smirk when he slips into the passenger seat. "I see you made good use of that advice I gave you."

"I sure did. You're the best teacher ever, Sasha." Newt says enthusiastically, a huge grin on his face, when she starts the engine and drives them off the Shatterdome perimeter and into town. "I owe you one."

Sasha chuckles. "I will hold you to that."

The run into town is mostly to get some alcohol. The mess in the Shatterdome doesn't provide any alcohol, not even wine, and Newt wants to have a proper birthday party. So he'll have to get it elsewhere. And who better to accompany him than Sasha, who - along with Aleksis - is famous for being able to acquire pretty much everything from vodka to thermonuclear bombs. Anywhere. And quickly. Well, it pays to have connections.

When they get back, there's enough beer and liquor in the trunk to keep up spirits during tonight's party, but not enough that the guests can get smashed. Newton is not exactly rich, after all. The PPDC isn't paying him enough to get fifty plus people drunk. He may be a rock star now, but that's limited to the fame, it doesn't include the fortune. Pity.

Newt spends most of his afternoon prepping the mess hall for his party. Well, the section of it he was allowed to use, anyway. Sasha and Aleksis are helping him while Hermann is pointedly missing. Newt isn't quite sure whether he's trying to make point or got lost in work. He suspects it's a bit of both with a focus on the latter because he can feel how absorbed Hermann is in his numbers right now. Still, eight o'clock on the spot, Hermann comes through the open door of the mess hall to join the party. Newt doesn't bother to hide his smile. 

When Naomi shows up, the party is already going strong. If there's one thing Newton learned about the the Kaidanovskys and the Wei Tang brother, it's that they love to party and inviting them is a guarantee that it won't get boring. That's true now, too. They're currently bickering over the choice of music, each a glass or a bottle in hand. Newt is reasonably sure none of them is actually allowed to drink at the moment, but they don't seem to care. They're all adults - even if only in the number of years on their passport, he can't help thinking while watching Hu spike Aleksis's drink with tequila that they all know Aleksis hates - and he most certainly won't get inbetween those crazy Russians and their drinks. 

Newt makes his way over to where Naomi is standing by the entrance looking over the crowd. She smiles when she spots him. She's wearing a casual knee-length skirt with a black t-shirt that has the outline of Yoda printed on the front, and she immediately rises another few notches in his esteem. Her hair is pinned up in a relaxed messy bun that still manages to be elegant. Her entire outfit is a statement that she's off duty. She looks very different from the professional journalist he met this morning.

"It's great you made it!" Newt greets her with a sincere smile. No matter what Herm says, he still likes her. 

"I wouldn't have missed it." She says with a smirk, then she holds out a rolled up piece of paper held together by a blue string. "I have a wee something for you. Happy Birthday, Newt!"

"Gifts! You brought me a gift! I love gifts!" Newton grins when he accepts the unexpected present. He undoes the knot of the string and unrolls the piece of paper. He's really curious what this is, it's not like Naomi had a lot of time to organise something considering he invited her only that morning. When he catches sight of the black and grey lines, all Newton can do is stare.

It's a pencil sketch on simple plain paper that look like it comes from a notepad. The lines are quick and sure, telling Newton that Naomi is a proficient artist. The drawing shows Newton and Hermann facing each other, and they're engaged in a discussion, or more likely some serious bickering contest. In the drawing Newton has his arms raised in a gesture that is obviously meant to underline whatever point he's about to make, his face is alight with enthusiasm and still there's something like gentle teasing that's obviously directed at Hermann. Newt loves how Naomi managed to get Hermann's expression so spot on, annoyed yet somehow fond, his eyes totally focussed on Newt.

For a moment Newton is stunned into awed silence. It's beautiful. It's so _them_. 

"Wow, it's awesome!" Before he has even given it any thought, Newton has wrapped his arms around Naomi in a spontaneous, heartfelt hug. She seems surprised at first, then she laughs and returns the gesture. 

"I'm glad you like it." She says when he pulls back.

"I love it! You totally nailed it!" Newt grins and looks at the drawing again. He's going to frame this and put it on his bedside table. And a copy of it is so going up on the wall in the lab. Poster-sized. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome." Naomi smirks and it's obvious that she's pleased he enjoys her gift so much. Newt waves her along to follow him to his section of the mess hall - not that his party actually could be contained, it has long ago taken over the entire mess hall. He aims for the table where at one end the triplets are causing mayhem while the Kaidanovskys and some crew members are loudly talking at the other end.

Newt drags Naomi over to the triplets and grins. He knows they like her, especially because they'd managed to screw with her things during their interview. Newt heard something about stickers, a recording device and a notebook.

"I believe you know each other." Newt say and points at the empty seat between Hu and Jin. "Boys, be nice to her. She's my guest tonight."

Newt catches a glimpse of Jin's mischievous smirk and wonders what evil they have in mind. He has other priorities now, though. He really has to show this awesome sketch to Herm. One quick glance shows him sitting beside Aleksis, talking about something. It takes Newton only a few steps to reach him. 

"Look what Naomi made for my birthday!" Newt announces proudly and sticks the drawing right in front of Hermann's nose. Herm leans back - okay, maybe Newt held the paper _a bit_ too close to his face - and takes a closer look.

"I don't look anything like that!" Hermann exclaims with a indignant expression on his face.

"Yes, you do. She captured you perfectly." Aleksis remarks from where he's bent over Hermann's shoulder to get a good look at the drawing. "Both of you."

"I do _not_ look like that!" Hermann insists again. 

"Yes, you do." Aleksis simply repeats, leaving no doubt that he means it. Newt watches Hermann glare at him, but the Russian is completely unimpressed.

Hermann gets up with an indignant huff. "I do not. Newton, I need you to come with me now."

"Oh my, that is a perfect drawing of you two!" Sasha snags the paper out of Hermann's hands and looks at it with obvious delight. 

Hermann is quite obviously refraining from rolling his eyes. "Now, Newton."

He begins to walk off, and Newton is too curious to not follow him. "I'm coming, I'm coming. Gosh, you're bossy."

Newt looks at Sasha and points a finger at the drawing. "Keep it safe."

"I will. Don't worry." She reassures him, then her smirk turns almost evil. "Now go follow your boyfriend."

Newt feels Hermann bristle at her words, but he doesn't say anything, whether that is because it's actually true or because he's afraid of Sasha Newt isn't sure. The only thing he _is_ sure about is that Newt knows it that Hermann isn't offended, he just _really_ doesn't like it when private things are mentioned in public. In his strange understanding of privacy, that actually includes mentioning that they're a couple now. Newt is reasonably sure nobody really cares anyway, or that they'd already thought he and Herm were together. He knows there are bets.

Hermann is already out of the mess hall and down the hallway by the time Newton catches up with him, and he makes no effort to walk any slower. His movements are clipped again, as if he's angry or annoyed, and Newt can't quite make sense of the garbled emotional mess he's picking up on over the ghost drift. It's very different from Hermann's usual clean and organised state of mind. 

"Now, come on, Herm, what is this all about? You're not seriously that pissed about that drawing, are you? I still think it's perfect and just so _us_. Or wait, are you still peeved that I invited Naomi? Seriously? I told you already-"

"Your birthday present." Hermann interrupts his monologue, his voice flat.

"What?" Newt asks in surprise. Suddenly he gets that Hermann isn't angry, he's _nervous_.

"It's about your birthday present." Hermann elaborates and opens the door to their lab. The lights flicker on in the large room, one by one eradicating the darkness. "It couldn't be brought in the mess hall, so I had to bring you here."

"Where is it?" Newt asks excitedly. He can just so refrain from clapping his hands. He wonders what it is that Herm got him that it couldn't be transported to the mess, where all his other gifts are currently waiting for him in a neat pile on one of the tables. It must be something special. Maybe it's too big, or too dangerous, or maybe it's toxic, or alive... This is so cool!

Hermann wordlessly points his cane at the back of the lab. Newt wonders what he's supposed to see there that he doesn't already know, but turns around anyway at the feeling of nervous excitement coming over the ghost drift. His gaze passes the blackboards, the desks, the now empty dissection table, the shelves where Newt keeps his last Kaiju organs and the former brain tank. 

He freezes.

The tank isn't empty anymore. 

"What..." Newt opens his mouth to ask, but words leave him when he suddenly gets it. It's another brain. Hermann found him another Kaiju brain. "How...? When..."

It doesn't happen often, but right now Newton is at a loss for words. His mind is spinning with questions he wants to ask, but he somehow doesn't find the words. All he can do is stumble forwards to get to the tank and make sure it's real, that he's not imagining it. He touches his hand to the smooth surface and one of the brain's nerve trunks slowly comes up to suck up against the plexiglass.

"I had some help. It's a group present, actually." Hermann shrugs uneasily. "There was a collector in Moscow. He owed Sasha a favour. And Tendo knew that guy who runs a transport airline. And Aleksis seems to be close to the heads of the customs offices in Russia _and_ in Hong Kong..."

He's rambling. Hermann only rambles when he's nervous. Newt is still too stunned to do more than stare at his new pet. "You had a Kaiju brain shipped here from Russia? For me?"

"It's your thirty-fifth birthday." Hermann says as if that is reason enough to have extremely rare Kaiju organs shipped halfway across the planet. Newt feels a huge grin spread over his face and he turns to look at Hermann who's standing just a step or two behind him, looking nervous and uneasy and unsure of himself in a way that makes Newt's heart melt. 

Newton steps up to him, right into his personal space, and cups his jaw with both hands to make Hermann look him in the eye. Newt's grinning so hard that his cheeks hurt and he feels like he's vibrating with joy and happiness. "This is the best birthday gift I've ever been given. I love it so much I don't actually have the words to express how much."

And because that's true, Newt decides to skip the words and just show Hermann. He holds his gaze and consciously sends his emotions over their connection, wanting to make Herm understand how much this means to him. He still can't believe how much trouble his friends went through to get him such a unique and fantastic gift. He's the luckiest guy ever.

There's a small, slow smile coming to Hermann's face and Newt can tell he gets it. He relaxes under Newton's touch, the tension caused by nerves and unease slipping out of his frame. He looks beautiful, and Newt can't resist leaning in to touch his forehead against Hermann's. 

"Thank you for that perfect gift." Newt murmurs against Hermann's lips right before he turns them around to push Herm back against the brain tank and kiss him. Hermann puts up a token resistance, then he goes pliant against Newton and bends down to allow him to deepen the kiss. 

Neither cares that they're in the middle of the lab with the door wide open, or that Hermann's cane falls to the side and hits the floor rather loudly.

 

***

Tendo watches them for a moment through the open door, then he turns away with a satisfied smirk. 

Mystery solved, then. One of the biggest bet pools will close tonight - the Hermann-Newton pool. Pity he didn't win, there's a lot of money in that pool. But he already knows who's going to be walking around the Shatterdome with a huge grin tomorrow.

Aleksis Kaidanovsky always _does_ give accurate predictions, after all.


End file.
